Common Ant Species

Some ant species live in colonies that are supported by a single queen while others are supported by multiple queens. Although there are 1,000 ant species known in the U.S., there are relatively few that we commonly see as pests. These include:

Argentine Ant

(Linepithema humile)

Appearance

Workers about 1.6mm long.

Light to dark brown in color.

Do not swarm.

Bite – do not sting.

Lifecycle

Worker ants produced in spring and increase in numbers up until autumn.

Winged ants (reproductive Kings and Queens), produced in early spring, before the workers, mature within three months and mate soon afterwards.

Argentine ants mate in their nest so no swarming is seen.

Habits

Worker ants will follow food trails for long distances so nests are not easy to track.

They prefer sweet foods but will also eat live and dead insects, meats, cereals and damaged fruit.

Argentine ants drive out other ant species from an area.

Black House Ant

(Ochetellus)

Appearance

Shiny and black.

2.5 - 3mm long.

Lifecycle

Larva hatches out of the egg as a white grub which is narrower towards the head. They are fed by the adults.

The larva pupates and appears creamy-white, looking similar to an adult. Sometimes they have a protective silk cocoon around them.

The adult emerges with the three defined body sections: head, thorax and abdomen.

The length of time between the egg stage and ants emerging as adults can take 6 weeks or more; it depends on a variety of factors such as the species of ant, the temperature and the availability of food.

Fertilized eggs become female, unfertilized become males.

Habits

These ants are regarded as a nuisance and scavenge in kitchens, garbage and also dog excrement, therefore potentially spreading diseases such as salmonella.

'Common Ants' include the intensely black 'Black House Ants', and they are attracted to sweets.

The most effective control measure is to find the colony and treat it.

Bulldog Ant

(Mymecia)

Appearance

About 18 - 20mm long.

Tends to be red or black.

Lifecycle

When a queen starts to nest she digs a small chamber to lay her eggs in. There is one queen ant that lays all the eggs and one or only a few males that are just there to mate with the queen.

The ant’s life cycle passes through egg, larva, pupa and adult phases.

Almost every ant is born female. The eggs hatch into small grubs, which grow into a particular caste (most are workers, then soldiers).

The queen Bull Ant leaves the nest at night to forage and supplement the food supply for her progeny (baby bull ants).

The queen may live for several years.

Habits

Very aggressive (if a nest is disturbed, there will be a massive outpouring attack).

Bulldog Ants typically nests outdoor in soil and under logs and rocks.

Located mostly in bushy areas (they seldom enter buildings).

They can inflict a very painful sting to humans.

The stinger does not remain in the victim, so the Bull Ant can sting repeatedly.

They feed on other insects and things such as honeydew from scale insects or plant nectar.

Each ant belongs to a specific caste and has a specific job to do (there are worker ants, soldier ants, the queen and the male – who mates with the queen).

Carpenter Ant

(Camponotus pennsylvanicus)

Appearance

Workers - 1/4’ long.

queen - ½” long

Blackish color most common but can also be black and red

6 legs.

Lifecycle

Swarms appear in the spring

Colonies of carpenter ants can live from 3-6 years

Habits

Locations - both moist and dry wood, but prefer moist, especially wood dampened by water leaks.

Internally - excavate galleries in wood with a smooth appearance.

Externally - sometimes hollow out sections of trees.

Visibility - hunt for food mainly at night but also during the day in early spring / summer. They do not eat wood. In homes they are attracted to sweet substances, fats, grease, and meats.

Contact - rarely come into contact with people, but it they do will try to escape. They cannot sting.

Fire Ant

(Solenopsis spp)

Appearance

Queens 5/8" long.

Workers 1/8"-1/4" long.

Coppery–brown on the head and body, with a darker abdomen.

Solenopsis has a very distinctive two–segment antennal club, which is most visible in the front view of the female reproductive ant.

Lifecycle

After swarming from the nest and mating, the queen searches for a suitable spot to lay her eggs. Once found, she can lay up to 125 eggs in late Spring.

Larvae hatch within 8 to 10 days, and the pupal stage lasts for 9 to 16 days.

Larvae feed on secretions from the queen’s salivary glands and broken down wing muscles until the first worker ants emerge. After this first batch of larvae molt into workers the queen’s role returns to egg laying – she can lay up to 1500 per day. Worker ants continue with larval care, nest building and food foraging.